Steering-gear and control mechanism for motor-vehicles.



G. W1 DUNHAM. "STEERING GEAR AND CONTROL MBOHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOATIOE FILED MAB. 4, 1910.

1,001,25., Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

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DUNHAM, Ol; DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 HUDSON MOTOR CAB COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

STEERING-GEAR -AND CNTBOL MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 4, 1910. Serial No. 547,352.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, .GEORGE W. DUNHAM, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of `Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering-Gear and Control -Mechanism for Motor-Vehicles, of which the followlng is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawlngs. j

The invention relates to 'steering gears for motor vehicles, lof'that type invwhich the rotation of the steering stem is transmitted to thel rock shaft through the me-A dium of a screw and nut.

It is the object of the invention to adapt this type of steering gearl to be used in combination with a lmotor-control-mechanism, which is located-above Ather steering wheel, and consequently must be connected to the mechanism below by transmission Vmeans passing through the-hollow steering stem. A difficulty encountered-is that the simplest and most convenientv location for the connection between the reciprocatory nut and the rock shaft is in axial alinement with the rotary steering stem, and thus these parts stand directly in the path of the control rods passing through the stem. With my improved construction, this diiculty is overcome by cutting away a portion of the nut member intermediate its points of engagement with the screw and the rock shaft to provide clearance for the connection between the control rods and the eX` ternal mechanism operated thereby.

The mventlon, therefore, consists 1n the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter` set' forth.

Tn the draWingsFigue l is a sectional elevation of a steering mechanism to which my improvements are applied; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the lower portion of'Fig. 1, and at right angles to the plane thereof.

A is the steering wheel of a motor vehicle, B the rotary stem therefor, C the stationary casing at the lower end of the stem, D a thrust bearing for the stem formed in the upper end of said casing, and E is a threaded nut engaging a screw F at the lower end of the stem vand slidingly engaging the casing C. AThe lower end of the nut isbifurj furcationsG of the nut.

l cated at'G'to embrace a rock arm H on-the shaft I, which is journaled in bearings in the casing C, and is connected at its outer end with arock arm J, which actuates the wheel-turning mechanism. The rock armA His slotted atK to embrace a bearing block L journaled upon a pin M secured to the Thus, whenever the stem- B is rotated, the nut E, which is held from rotation by engagement with the rock arm, will be moved longitudinally Aof the casing, and through the connecting mechanism described will rock the shaft I and army J.

The control mechanism is located above the steering wheel, and, as shown, comprises two independently adjustable control levers N and O, the latter bein central stem P and the`v ormer to a surrounding sleeve or tubular stem Q, both passing through the steering stemB.

R is a stationary segment in connection with which the levers N and O are adjusted, and S is a stationary tubular stem to which `said segment is secured, and which surrounds the s temsP and Q, and passes within the stem B to the lower end thereof. This stationary stem S isy connected at its lower end with the stationary casing` C through t-he medium of a'collar T and screwsT.A

U and V are bevel gears connected respectively tothe stems P and 'Qf at their lower ends land which-intermesh with cooperating bevel gears U and V upon concentrically-arranged shafts W and W eX- tending at right angles to the axis of the steering stem. These shafts Wand WV are journaled in a bearing X detachably secured to the side of the casing C, and preferaplly having a threaded* engagementtherewit as just described, the nut member 'E is cut away at E a sufficient amount to clearthe shafts Wand vW and collar T inallipositions of adjustment of the steering stem. This requires the slot E to'beof'suflcient length to allow the maximum longitudinal movement of the nut member within the casing C, and to this end said casing and nut'members are elongated so as to provide bearing portions at opposite ends of the out away portion. Thus theV M `may be alined with the axis of-v th'ef-steeri'ng stem Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

connected to a v I l To permit the arrangement of the parts without any interference with the control mechanism which passes out from the stem above this point.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a rotary steer' ing stem, of a longitudinally movable member havin-g a screw and nut engagement with said stem, a rock shaft connected to said longitudinally movable member, a control shaft passing through. said rotary steun,

and mechanism actuated by said control shaft assing laterallythrough said longitudinally movable member.

2. The combination with a rotary steering stem, of a stationary casing for the lower end of said stem, a thrust bearing for said stem within said casing, a member longitudinally movable within said casing having a `screw and nut engagement with said stem, a rock arm actuated by said longitudinally movable member, a control shaft passing through said rotary stem, and mechanism actuated by said control shaft mounted in said casing and passing through an aperture in said longitudinally movable member.

3. The combinati-on w1th a rotary steering stem, of a casing in which the lower end of said stem is journaled, a thrust bearing in said casing for said stem, a screw upon said stem below said thrust bearing, a nut member engaging said screw and longitudinally Islidably engagingl said casing, said nut away at one side intermediate its ends, a

stationary tubular member within said rotary stem secured to said casing through the aperture in said longitudinally movable member, a stationary segment mounted on said stationary tubular member above said steering wheel, a rotary shaft within said stationary tubular member, a control lever connected with said shaft, a laterally-extending shaft passing through the cut away portion of sald longitudinally adjustable member, and bevel gears connecting said laterally-extending shaft with said rotary shaft within the steerin stem.

A5. The combinationw1th a steering wheel, of a rotary stem` on which said wheel is mounted, a casing'in which the lower e'nd of said stem is journaled, a longitudinally movable member having a screw and nut engagement with said stem and non-rotatively slidably engaging said casing, said member being cut away at one side interme- 'diate its ends, a stationary tubular member within said rotary stem, a member forming a. supporting bearing for said stationary tubular member extending out through the cut away portion and secured to said casing, a control shaft passing `through said stationary `tubular member, and mechanism actuatedfby said control shaft passing laterally through said longitudinally movable mem; ber.

6. The combination with a rotary steering stem, of a longitudinally movable member having a screw and nut engagement with said stem,a rock arm pivotally engaging said longitudinally movable member in axial alinement therewith, a control shaft passing through said stem, and mechanism actuated by said control shaft passing laterally through said longitudinally movable mem-l ber.

, In testimony whereof I affix my signature Witnesses:

D. D. RowLANDs, C. E. GREGORY. 

